Smart Assemblies for Robust Design

这项研究的目标是开发一种新的健壮设计方法，称为“智能组装”。智能装配具有设计功能所不需要的特征，这些特征允许设计吸收或抵消变化的影响。这项研究将对被动和主动智能组装进行研究。被动组件需要外部调整，并且在设置后不能吸收变化。激活的部件可以自动适应随时间变化的变化。这项研究将阐明智能装配设计的原则，并将其置于框架内，以便为此类设计开发一种方法。公差传播的计算机分析工具将被修改，以促进智能装配的建模和设计。这将要求在建模策略中包括吸收变化的能力。另一项任务将是研究间接吸收的可能性--定位特征以吸收远离它发生的点的变异。出于成本或制造的原因，这可能是有益的。如果成功，这项研究将为设计者提供更多的手段来控制机械装配的变化。虽然已经提出了许多方法来开发健壮的设计，但没有一种方法专注于开发能够吸收变化的特征，即使这种方法已经在工业中使用。这项研究将为设计工程师提供一种方法论和分析工具，在其他任何方式都不可能的情况下控制变化。正确控制装配中的差异与产品质量有直接联系，对开发具有全球竞争力的产品至关重要。

The objective of this research is to develop a new approach for robust design called "smart assembly." A smart assembly has features, not otherwise required by the function of the design, which allow the design to absorb or cancel out the effects of variation. The research will investigate both passive and active smart assemblies. A passive assembly requires external adjustment and cannot absorb variation after being set. An active assembly can automatically adapt itself to variation which changes over time. The research will elucidate and place within a framework principles of smart assembly design so that a methodology for such design can be developed. Computer-based analytical tools for tolerance propagation will be modified to facilitate the modeling and design of smart assemblies. This will require that the capability of absorbing variation be included in the modeling strategy. Another task will be to investigate the possibility of indirect absorption--of locating the feature to absorb variation away from the point at which it occurs. This may be beneficial for cost or manufacturing reasons. If successful, the research will provide designers with additional means for controlling variation in mechanical assemblies. Although numerous methods have been proposed for developing robust designs, none have focused on the development of features which can absorb variation, even though such approaches have been used in industry. The research will provide the design engineer with a methodology and analytical tool to control variation when it is not possible in any other way. The proper control of variation in assemblies has a direct link to product quality and is crucial in the development of competitive worldwide products.